Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn has defended the company’s decision to adopt an “AI-first” strategy, saying criticism earlier this year stemmed from misunderstandings rather than actual plans to replace human workers.
The language-learning platform came under fire after von Ahn told investors that Duolingo aimed to become an “AI-first company.” Many assumed the move was profit-driven or a prelude to large-scale layoffs.
“In reality, internally this was not controversial,” von Ahn said in an interview with The New York Times. “Externally, as a publicly traded company, some people assume that it’s just for profit. Or that we’re trying to lay off humans. And that was not the intent at all.”
No Layoffs Planned
The CEO stressed that Duolingo has never laid off any full-time employees and has no plans to do so in the future. He acknowledged that the company has adjusted the number of contractors over time, but explained this was always based on evolving business needs rather than AI adoption.
AI Experimentation at Core
Von Ahn highlighted that Duolingo is embracing AI through regular experimentation. Employees are encouraged to test new technologies, with every Friday morning reserved for AI-driven projects.
“It’s a bad acronym, f-r-A-I-days,” he joked, referring to the weekly initiative. “I don’t know how to pronounce it.”
Despite the backlash, von Ahn remains confident that AI will help Duolingo enhance its user experience and expand learning opportunities, while maintaining its workforce.
